Manchester United's last ten games have brought four wins, four draws and two defeats.

Considered by many to be Premier League favourites in August, United now find themselves sixth in the Premier League, 11 points behind leaders Chelsea and eight points off the top four.

This isn't how it was supposed to go for United. They brought in Jose Mourinho, Paul Pogba, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Eric Bailly this summer, breaking the world transfer record in the process.

John Cross

Whether we like it or not, the Europa League has far too often become a lame excuse for clubs failing in the Premier League. It's almost become a mental block. Fixtures Thursday then Sunday undoubtedly impacts on results. But it's no different if you play in the Champions League on a Wednesday and then Saturday.

Generally, I think we need to help clubs more - push back fixtures to a Monday where possible. But I hate the way English teams on the whole disregard the Europa League as an irritant. Their own version of Brexit . It's embarrassing.

And by the way, I'm happy to take part in this debate. I don't see it as a downer on my industry. I hate the way some older journalists sneer at modern journalism and young journalists. That annoys me far more than what Gary Neville says. And the way that too many journalists - young and old - slag off Twitter forgetting it's what's given them a profile and a platform as no-one is quite sure who they write for anyway. Apart from when they write on Twitter.

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David McDonnell

Neville is talking nonsense. United's problems run a lot deeper than the perceived handicap of playing in the Europa League on a Thursday night.

Mourinho doesn't yet know his best formation or personnel, certain players are not performing at the required level, while United have lost the knack of killing games off when they are dominant, as shown by the four successive home draws to Stoke, Burnley, Arsenal and West Ham.

As for the Europa League hindering teams, Chelsea finished third in the Premier League when they won it in 2013, while Sevilla have earned a Champions League spot for the past two seasons by lifting the trophy. So it's hardly an onerous burden to shoulder, just a handy excuse for poor form.

Given United are already eight points off the Champions League places, wining the Europa League may actually represent their best chance of getting straight back to European football's top table.

Mourinho directs his team from the sidelines at Old Trafford (Photo: Matthew Peters)

Darren Lewis

No. Southampton beat Everton on Sunday having played against Sparta Prague - in Prague - on Thursday night. The trouble with United is that there are still so many players there in a comfort zone.

Since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson United has lost its drive and its hunger. The focus has been on the men in charge instead of the men in the dressing room. Fergie's last title came with an arguably inferior squad to this one. But they worked hard to match the Scot's relentless will to win. Mourinho will re-establish that given time. But first he needs to get rid of a few players not hard-working enough to be there.

As for yesterday, it was pointed out to Slaven Bilic in West Ham's pre-match press conference last Friday that United are very vulnerable on set-pieces. Other teams are also set to cash in.

Wayne Rooney celebrates after scoring against Feyenoord on Thursday

Simon Mullock

European football can sap a team's energy but Manchester United have the most expensive squad in world football.

And Neville's 'excuse' doesn't explain why United have picked up just 10 points from a possible 21 at Old Trafford.

United beat Feyenoord 4-0 last Thursday night at home, so there was no gruelling journey to recover from. The weekend schedule gave them another game in front of their own fans.

Neville's attempt to explain away another poor result doesn't hold up to scrutiny.

Mourinho was sent to the stands for kicking a water bottle

Matt Lawless

According to one prominent pundit, the Europa League is a 'killer'. It 'always has and always will be' - so he says. Yet Southampton, fresh from defeat in Prague last Thursday, took just 41 seconds to beat Everton. Around a minute later, Manchester United found themselves a goal down to struggling West Ham. Killer.

While I accept that playing in the Europa League often has detrimental consequences, it cannot be an excuse for a club like Manchester United. The turnaround in fixtures is really no different to when they used to play in the Champions League. Their worst start to a league season in 27 years is not the fault of the Europa League but their manager, Jose Mourinho.

Stop making excuses for him. He got sent off for losing the plot after his player was rightly booked for diving. His team were held by West Ham because they didn't take their chances. Again. Perhaps if he'd started the team who defeated Feyenoord so convincingly, he might have been celebrating another comfortable victory. Mourinho is a world class manager. It's time his United team reflected that and stop hiding behind pitiful excuses. I'm certain they will come good.

Rooney during the draw with West Ham (Photo: Reuters)

Steve Stammers

It is difficult to follow Gary Neville's logic. Firstly there is no difference between Champions League football on Wednesday and Saturday and Europa league on Thursday and Sunday. Same time gap.

Also, United were at home against Feyenoord and West Ham. No travel involved.

How about another reason: United are not good enough at the moment. Just a thought.

Diafra Sakho scores for West Ham (Photo: Getty Images)

Adrian Kajumba

One win in five after Europa League games would suggest Manchester United do have a problem and the competition is to blame. But they are not the first English club to enter it and the others have had problems too so it is not like they weren't warned about the difficulties and it is hard to feel too much sympathy to be honest.

If they had sorted themselves out last season they would have been in the Champions League rather than Europa League. They missed out on the top four on goal difference so it wouldn't have taken much to nick fourth spot.

Jose Mourinho has also named strong sides in each game - Paul Pogba has started every Europa League game for example - rather than make wholesale changes to keep his main men fresh for the weekend. That surely hasn't helped.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan after missing a chance against West Ham (Photo: PA Wire)

Neil McLeman

Normally, the Europa League should be a hindrance. But given the size of the Manchester United squad, it should be a help for Mourinho to find his best team - and give fringe players like Mhkitaryan a chance to stake their claims.

I thought Mourinho's sheer force of personality would turn around United where Moyes and Van Gaal failed. But despite more spending, it hasn't happened yet.

The longer this poor form continues, it suggests there is something more fundamentally wrong than the manager at the club. Are they the new Sunderland?

Mourinho is experiencing similar struggles to his predecessors

Liam Prenderville

Historically, the Europa League DOES seem to have an adverse effect on Premier League form. Plenty of sides have struggled with the Thursday-Sunday timetable but they haven't had the squad United do.

Mourinho has enough players at his disposal to field two strong teams that should comfortably be able to see off Feyenoord and West Ham - so suggesting the competition is to blame is another lame excuse.

When he took over, the Europa League will have been low down on Jose Mourinho's list of priorities. But, given United's domestic form, their best hope of getting back in the Champions League is winning it!United fans should get ready for some more dull Sundays.

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Ben Burrows

Yes, it's not ideal to have to play Thursday-Sunday twice a month but Manchester United's squad, after a £150million summer overhaul, is still more than deep enough to cope.

Yes, you'd rather not to have to fly around Europe to far flung places and the added stress and strain that involves. Alas for Mourinho and his defenders Rotterdam hardly counts.

Yes, Europe's second tier competition is a distraction you can do without. But after a few years outside the limelight looking in United surely should embrace such a stage on show at Old Trafford once more.

All these things are true.

But what is becoming increasingly clear is that United have far bigger problems than what European competition they're playing in, namely their manager who, three years earlier than we've become accustomed to, appears to be falling apart at the seams for all to see.

Paul Pogba at Old Trafford on Sunday (Photo: Alex Livesey)

David Anderson

Playing in the Europa League certainly isn't helping Manchester United as their results show. Sunday's draw with West Ham means they have won just one, lost two and drawn two of their five games after playing in Europe. But that is not the real reason why United have made their worst-ever start to a Premier League campaign and their biggest problem is their lack of goals.

They have managed just 18 in the Premier League from their 13 games. Compare that to Liverpool's 32 and it shows how bad the problem is. They are relying on a 35-year-old to score their goals in Zlatan Ibrahimovic and he has a respectable seven from 12 games. But he is getting little support and Wayne Rooney has just one, Marcus Rashford three and Anthony Martial one. United are playing way better than they did under Louis van Gaal and creating chances - they just aren't taking them.